


Lore and Memories

by Krachwarn



Category: Siren (TV 2018)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-06-23
Packaged: 2019-05-26 04:23:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14992679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krachwarn/pseuds/Krachwarn
Summary: Captain Charles Pownall is ensnared by a mysterious woman while delivering supplies and settlers to a new government grant near the Haida village of Heudao.





	1. The Captain and the Blackfish

**Author's Note:**

> Hi All!
> 
> One of the many great mysteries of the Siren world is the back story of how Ben Pownall's family became ensnared by the enigmatic Mermaid(s). The story of Charles Pownall and "His Mermaid". I have been wondering for some time how these events unfolded, and my curiosity in this eventually prompted me to sketch out a plot based on the few tidbits of information we were given. I have put them into four chapters, this being part 1: the story of Charles meeting the Blackfish. 
> 
> This is clearly my imagination run wild! I have no idea how the show runners have envisioned it, but I hope that they some day will show or give us the information I crave!!!
> 
> In the meanwhile,
> 
> Enjoy!!

The wind was just right, Charles decided, as he adjusted the steering wheel. The sails lost their last crease, pulling straight and forcing the Crane to tilt ever so slightly to port. He looked around. 

Yes, perfect.

Charles… Captain Charles Pownall as he was known aboard, let out a contented sigh. The Crane, a 110 ton Brigantine, was virtually flying though the water though she was loaded tight with trade goods from Boston, New York, and most recently, San Francisco. To add to that, they were carrying 45 souls destined for a new life in this region.

O, the life! 

He loved the sight of bright faces with eager hope for better lives. Despite that, life at sea was just so much fun. The wind, the sky; it was all exhilarating.

Charles came back to the present, noticing two passengers vomiting over the side. Well, he mused, it was certainly not for everyone.

Land came into view just as they had predicted. He pulled out his telescope at brought it into focus. Yes, that was Cape Flattery, and beyond was the Juan de Fuca straight. Wonderful. Ahead of schedule.

“Mr. Amos! The Wheel if you may”, he bellowed. His first mate came running to take over steering. Charles went below.

The interior of the Crane was a dark wooden maze of bundles, barrels, and boxes, but he knew each one by heart. He pushed his way past some crew, accepting nods and “Sir’s as he headed to his cabin.  
He needed to familiarize himself with tomorrows trading procedures.

He opened his cabin, greeting Hiram Bishop. The black man looked up from his work, smiling. 

“Afternoon, Captain” he grinned.

“Charles… PLEASE! No one’s around Hiram!” he grinned back. Hiram was as close a friend as Charles had in this life. They had met many years ago under bad circumstances, but today the two were nearly inseparable.

Hiram held up the ship’s journal. 

“May 17, 1853. Arrived at Heudao. Trade to be made: 4 tons of pots and pans, 75 Blanket bundles, 25 firing rifles. 21 Settlers plus assorted goods for new grant”, he read. “And your gifts”, he added, smiling. 

“Excellent!” Charles replied.  
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

An American ship appeared on the horizon, prompting the women’s council the gather quickly. The ships usually meant trouble, and this one certainly did not seem any more peaceful then the rest. 

Kung K'ajúugang sighed. Too many things on her mind.

Moon singer, as she was known locally, was a medicine woman for the Raven tribe of the Heudao Haida. This year had been trying even before this current addition.

Several children had mysteriously gotten ill with something that made dots break out on their skin, and there was for the first time in years, not enough fish coming up the rivers in the autumn. To add to this, the government in far off United States had begun to send ultimatums abut land rights. With them came prospectors. One had walked right by their village not two weeks back and had had an altercation with the men. Finally, about a week ago, the enigmatic sea people had once again sent an emissary after many years of silence. 

The emissary now sat before her, smiling, staring at the longhouse and its many female occupants.

“We will be having a ceremony tonight to dispel the sickness, emissary”, Moon singer spoke. Many old faces stared back at her, nodding and quietly whispering to each other. Ceremonies were integral to healing, and having a Gántl Jáadaa, a Water Woman participate was a great honour.

The beautiful emissary brought her gaze to the medicine woman.

“I will dance and bless. Dispel bad sickness.” She replied finally. 

Kung K'ajúugang sighed again, this time in relief. 

It was done. She thanked the small blue eyed woman for her upcoming service, and then called the meeting to an end. Smiles creased many faces. It was well known that the blessing of the water ones, especially Hlgahls-chiin, the Blackfish, bestowed the most potent magic onto their needs. Bowing, she made her departure.

Outside, Sgiidang Xúnts, the Red Wolf was pointing at the incoming ship and yelling out orders. He was a handsome man. Three war canoes were being manned and manoeuvered into the water. Perhaps he knew the ship that was coming. He was wise in these things.

Moon singer sighed. Too many worries for one mind.  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

War canoes approached the Crane as they gathered in the sails. Charles was not worried in the least. He was meeting old friends.

Using his telescope, he recognized the stately Haida man at the front of the closest Canoe. It was Sgiidang Xúnts, the Red Wolf. He was the chief hunter of the village he was going to unload supplies at. Fate had it that some of the settlers were also getting off close by at a recently opened government grant. Charles, however, only had eyes for Red Wolf. They went back at least 10 years.

The war canoes pulled up alongside the brigantine, and both peoples eyed each other with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. Red Wolf gave the first greeting.

“Welcome back, Captain Pownall! We sing to your good health!”

“And I you, Sgiidang Xúnts, great hunter of Heudao.” Charles cried back, waving his hand.

The two smiled.

Lowering his voice ever so slightly, Charles continued.

“I got that dress you wanted for your wife! I also got the Springfield Riffle. What a beauty!” 

Over the next hour, the Crane was brought to anchor and the longboats were lowered. Goods began to flow from the ship to the coast where eager Haida waited with their own items. Charles watched with delight. Frederic Staub, the chief merchant on board, was running back and forth checking and rechecking items, His grey hair flew about in the wind, giving him a comically dishevelled look. A look, that clashed spectacularly with his otherwise richly tailored wardrobe.

“Come!” Red Wolf beckoned finally. “We will give you a great fest tonight!”

Charles smiled.

‘I wouldn’t miss it for all the tea in China!”

Turning to Mr. Amos, he continued. “Will, can you make sure things run smoothly here?”

“Aye Captain” the first mate replied. The two were notoriously curt and brief, but it belied a great working relationship.

Without much further encouragement, Charles, Hiram, and Red Wolf stepped into one of the war canoes and made for the shore.  
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Piercing blue eyes stared at the wooden box floating on the surface. The merman regarded the colossal structure for a moment, recalling memories from his youth. Submerging, he cautiously swam around its base.

A canoe? No… A ship. They called it a ship.

He resurfaced, making sure he was far enough away not to be seen. On it, land walkers moved back and forth, talking in their strange tongue. They seemed to be moving things.

The merman gave out a small hiss. Land walkers were always moving things, be it nets to snare them, or their boats to go from land to land. They never seemed happy or content to leave things be.

Taking one last look at the ship, the merman dove, gathering speed as he moved into the deep. 

The tribe needed to be warned. He hoped the matriarch would be safe.  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Evening crept into the sky.

Charles sat with Hiram and Red Wolf outside on a huge log eying the many people of Heudao while he ate smoked salmon. The village was crowded and smoky, but it was quite the sight to see. Huge longhouses made of cedar crowded all available land directly overlooking the sea. Huge Totem poles, beautifully painted, scraped the sky. Everywhere one looked, there were racks of fish drying in the sun. There were even whale bones nearby, seemingly being stored for some future art project.

Charles grinned at Red Wolf.

“You outdo yourself again, my friend.”

The two talked for a while, quietly recounting memories they had lived through. Behind them, drumming began and the two settled in for the evening’s entertainment. Beautifully decorated mythical figures stepped into the light by the fire; each a member of the community representing the many spirits of the Haida. The dancing was excellent, and he had fallen in love with it many years ago when he had first sailed these waters.

Suddenly Charles sat upright. Dancing out from the shadows was a lady in costume that looked nothing like the other locals. Her pale skin shone in the firelight, and her blue eyes pierced the night. She was dressed like a water serpent.

“Who is that” he whispered.

“That’s the Emissary,” Red Wolf replied. “She came recently to make deals with us and to renew the peace. She is most honored amongst our people.”

Charles continued to watch in awe. The women danced unlike all others, but with such skill that it seemed to him obvious that she was putting them all to shame. No one seemed to mind.  
Suddenly she began to sing alone. Her voice was slightly husky, but her voice was mesmerizing and her tune rang true. He could not make out any words. She was not singing in Haida...

‘Where is she from?” Charles asked. Red Wolf did not immediately reply. Eventually he just said “from far away”.

The emissary continued to sing and dance. Suddenly she found his face in the crowd. She seamlessly rearranged her dance to face him and gave him a slight smile. In a fleury of movements she came to her crescendo. Charles blushed. He had never seen a woman like her before. His face reddened even further. And he was married…

The ceremony ended and the village began to disperse. Charles looked for the lady, but couldn’t find her anywhere. He eventually went to the house of Red Wolf and slept, though his dreams returned again and again to the woman who danced. The woman with the piercing blue eyes.  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Stripping down out of her Haida-skin, Hlgahls-chiin slowly waded out into the small pond of freshwater some miles from the village. It was private here. Though they treated her very well, the people of Heudao did not understand her need for water.

She smiled. 

Staring down through her own rippled reflection, she spied her toes squishing in the mud. She loved her toes. They seemed like little arms, useless at grabbing and yet so wonderful for land movement. She gave a playful kick. Laughingly, she dove in, relishing the cool feel of water over her skin. It was not like the ocean, but it was the next best thing.

She surfaced and shook her dark brown hair out of her face. It was long, but she liked it like this. All her people liked their matriarch’s hair long. It showed power. She splashed about for a while, enjoying the water running over her shoulders, her breasts, and down her stomach. It had been many years since she had first come to Heudao, but she relished it every time. Humans were so fascinating! Her mind wandered, seeking parallels between her people in the sea and the people here on land. So similar, and yet so different…

Suddenly she heard a branch snap. She looked about.

Standing at the pond’s edge was a man looking back at her. A man dressed unlike any she had ever seen before. He had long blue clothing on and a small hat on his head. In one hand he held a tube and a box.  
It was the man from last night. The one who had looked at her with that intense expression! Curiosity overcame her. He was so pretty to look at.

Hlgahls-chiin slowly swam over to him. As she neared, the man’s eyes grew larger and larger, showing blue-grey irises. She had never seen this colour in a human before. How fascinating! She found her footing and began wading out of the water to study him further. By the time she stood before him, however, his face had turned a distinct shade of red! His eyes were the size of gull’s eggs!

“hello?” she said.

He did not respond. A note of human panic mixed with curiosity and something else crossed his face as his eyes left her’s, scanning her body up and down intently. Eyes finally returning, he made a series of odd sounds. 

She couldn’t understand him.

Realisation dawned on her face. Of course! He wasn’t Haida at all, but another sort of human. His skin was much lighter for one and he had almost yellow grey hair. Perhaps he was a woodman. They often went around on the ocean in big wooden boxes dressed up with clothes on top.

She reached out to greet him in Haida fashion, but somehow found herself touching his hair instead. It was very smooth. His hand slowly moved after a moment too, touching her face. It felt very rough, but it was nice and warm. He smiled at her; a warm smile that made her feel as she had felt last night when she first saw him.

She wished she could understand this man! Her mind fluttered through ways she had learned about how to communicate with humans, and she finally settled on the idea of a song. Her song. Her soul song.

She began to sing.

His eyes locked onto her’s and he seemed to sway a little. Hlgahls-chiin felt overwhelmed. This was the first time she had done this in years, and she had forgotten just how powerful it was. Bits of knowledge she had never known entered her thoughts. Language, customs, sights. But most importantly, his emotions, his essence. She felt his contentment, his trust, his warmth towards her. She found herself swaying as well, though not from exhaustion. From the pleasure of meeting him.

She finally stopped.

“Hello” she asked again quietly.

“Hi.” He gasped back.  
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“July 21, 1853. Summer is getting on, and the captain had not yet returned to his ship…” Hiram wrote in the journal. 

He sighed.

His friend had become infatuated with one of the Haida ladies. He was not surprized. The woman was an unexplainable beauty. Still…  
His friend was married. He had three children. This could not continue.

Things had gone fairly well in the meanwhile. Most of the settlers had gone to shore and were in the process of building a small village by the water on the company grant. They, at the request of the Bristol trading company, had dutifully called it Bristol Cove. The captain had overseen the building of a small church and the trading post itself. Many of the locals had marveled at how quickly everything had gone.  
“He is overseeing the building of the settlement”. He penned further. It was nice for the captain to support the settlers, but it was not part of the contract. The Crane had been due in Seattle many weeks ago, and some of the other settlers and the crew were beginning to wonder. 

He sighed again.

“Settlement is being well received due to the administrations of one Hlgahls-chiin, a local shaman”.  
It was true. The girl Charles was with had indeed smoothed over many of the hurdles that had come from the settlement being built only eight miles from the Haida village.  
“Hope to get under way within the week” Hiram concluded. He doubted that would be the case, as he had written that for the past month, but he felt he should at least remain optimistic.

A knock came at the door.

“Enter” Hiram replied.

In came William Amos, the first mate, and the quartermaster Joseph Ainley. They both grabbed for the Brandy and poured themselves one. After a moment of drinking, Ainley began.  
“What’s going on with the Captain?” he asked. Concern drenched his voice. “He has asked for the other settlers to be unloaded and for the crew to come to shore as well. What is he playing at?”

Hiram blinked.

Amos continued. “Has he lost his senses? He wants to talk to all of us once we are on land…Will he be trying something?” The two looked at him.

“I don’t know the captains mind, nor do I know the exact mission statement that the Bristol Trading company gave him. As you know, those things are privy to the captain’s discretion”. “However”, he continued,” I think he may indeed be planning something we may find of interest.” 

The two grunted and poured themselves another brandy. Silence reigned.

Finally Amos spoke. 

“O, and he asked me to give this to you”. He produced a sealed letter.

The two were very keen on finding out its contents, but Hiram Bishop sent them away. Once he was alone, he opened it.

“Dear Hiram, 

Building is going apace, and the village is beginning to look quite good. There is great potential in this region, and I have scouted out good economic potential in the back country and off the coast through the help of Red Wolf (the chief hunter). This locale is a piece of Eden.

I will be brief. The Haida and the settlers have asked us to stay for the winter. I know this is not part of the contract, but I think the Bristol Trading Company, our benefactors, will be pleased if we return with the bounty of the new settlement.

I have asked the crew ashore to explain the circumstances and would enjoy your concurrence in this enterprise. As the crew of the Crane, we are entitled to a cut of all resources gathered. Think about it.

Your’s truly

Charles H. Pownall"

Hiram blinked. He slowly got up from his desk and idly paced about the cabin.

This was too much, he thought. He had to talk him out of it. The company didn’t care if the settlers did well or not. They had been paid only to get them there. And as for the cut, such laws had not been used in at least a hundred years in maritime contracts. This was clearly because of that woman…..

Charles had lost all sense of reason.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Charles returned to his ship with Hlgahls-chiin. The sun was getting lower on the horizon. All the crew was on land, earning a bit of shore leave. He had made certain it was so.

Hlachin... He was having a hard time pronouncing her full name, which she said meant black fish. She had laughed and smiled every time he tried. Hlgag-chin….. No… Hlgagh-chin. He would get it right.  
He smiled, looking at her again.

She was fascinating. She was learning English very quickly, and was simply gorgeous. Red Wolf had been a little annoyed when he offered to take her aboard, but her agreement to this request shut him down. He frowned…He was going to bring her back! He sensed that the Haida community had a strong connection to this gorgeous girl.

Charles mused about last night. He had presented his ideas to the settlers and crew after a large banquet where he had showered them all with grand promises and booze. Hlgahls-chiin had even enticed many local Haida to attend, which added a wonderful flair to the festivities. The end result was that he had gotten the tacit approval to stay. Most of the settlers were only too keen, but he sensed that some of the crew were at a bit of a loss. They were motivated by economics… and he knew his argument was a bit weak.

And then there had been the lecture by Hiram. He had expected it all. The yelling and accusations. The moral put downs. His friend was always looking out for him, but sometimes he just didn’t see clearly…  
He was, in any case, going to bring his family here. Benjamin, Andrew, and Edward would simply love it, and love her… And Elisabeth…. His wife… well, she would learn to like it here too. It was a pretty place…. The very best in fact. 

An unbidden thought flashed through his mind. It was not unheard of amongst the Haida to have several wives, was it?

He led Hlgahls-chiin. down to his cabin and began to rummage through his desk. He needed to write a letter explaining his decision that another ship passing by could bring to Seattle. He began to scribble, biting his lip as he tried to find the words that would convince his benefactors that he was working in their best interests. Idly he watched Hlgahls-chiin curiously inspect the cabin. She sniffed and fingered almost everything, seemingly never bored. She was very cute like that. She finally settling down on the bed where her eyes bulged in delight. She had clearly not expected it to be so soft.

Charles undressed her with his mind.

The thought surprised him. He had been nothing but a gentlemen to her, always helping. Always explaining things to her. She had in turn been very close to him, but never quite like the day they had met. Their relationship was almost deeper than the pleasures of the flesh.

And yet. 

He got up and moved to sit with her. Her smile was glorious. 

“This is my Bed, Hlachin”, he said. She giggled.

He sensed her understanding. She lay back in it and smelled the covers.

“Pretty” 

He lay down beside her and gazed into his eyes. Something unreadable passed over her face. She finally gave it meaning.

“I want a name from you. Something only for me. Only from you” She smiled.

Charles scratched his jaw. A name?

“How about Helen?” he mused out loud. Helen of Troy had been the most beautiful woman on earth after all.

‘Helen…. Yes, Helen. I Love.”

She nuzzled Charles and they were lost for a moment. Finally that unreadable expression returned to her face.

“You trust me, yes?” She whispered.

Charles nodded. She continued.

“I want to show you me. Real me. So you understand me. Love me.”

Charles blushed. Was she asking him for permission to undress? He bit his lip.

“Ok” he breathed, excitement getting the better of him.

She stood up and began to fumble with her clothes. Piece by piece, she unrobed.

Good god she was a sight! He began to tear off his clothes as well. 

The two stared at each other naked. Finally Helen, turned to face the window and began to move. Charles frowned. What was she up to?  
She moved with such grace that he didn’t think much beyond the moment. His eyes were transfixed on her bottom half.  
He was vaguely aware that she had opened the window. With sudden speed and grace, she jumped out.

Charles leapt forward, terror and loss pounding through his mind. Rushing to the window, he leaned out. The foam of her entry into the water could be seen but nothing else.

‘Helen!” he yelled. 

When no answer came, he jumped as well. The ice cold water hit him. He surfaced, sputtering and frantically looking around. For a moment he was alone.

Slowly, a form emerged from the water a few yards away. Charles mind raced.

It was… it was? The form looked like Helen, but she had changed. Her skin was greyed, and her mouth was filled with sharp teeth. Her hands ended with claws and webs. He tensed.  
It swam up to him and eyed him slowly, cautiously keeping out of arms reach. Charles peered into its eyes.

It was Helen.

“Helen? How on earth…?”

The saying struck him as entirely out of place. He gulped. He was in its domain now. 

The being swam lazily around him, showing fins and dorsal spikes, making sure to show everything. Finally it dove, showing a massive three fluked tail.  
“A Mermaid!?” Charles gasped. His mind raced, trying to comprehend what he had just witnessed. He could not understand.

Helen rose to the surface, closer than before. Her eyes gazed at him with pleading intensity. 

Then she began to sing. 

The two became lost to each other for a time. Realisation dawned in him. He slowly extended his hand and fondled her check. 

“Helen, my love?”

A mouth full of razor sharp teeth smiled back at him. 

But he was not afraid.

That night, when they were safely back onboard and Helen had turned back into her human form, they made love. Repeatedly; sharing something neither of them had ever had before in their lives.

By the morning Helen was pregnant.


	2. Joy and Sorrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Helen, Hiram Bishop, and the other members of the growing community of Bristol Cove come to terms with the gradual change in priorities of Charles. As events unfold, communication breaks down, leading to disastrous consequences...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi All!
> 
> Apologies for the Summary.... I am very bad at them. I just don't want to give anything away.... :P
> 
> So this is part two of the story how Charles Pownall came to Bristol Cove and found the mermaid. It takes place in the spring the year after Charles first came to the region and set up the colony. I have called it Joy and Sorrow, for obvious reasons :)
> 
> As I mentioned before, this was quite the task to write, and is based on the few pieces of information the show has given us so far. I was forced to take many liberties. Have I hit the mark or missed it by a nautical mile? You tell me :)
> 
> One of the things I have tried my best to do in this story is show a rational narrative for each of the people involved. I did this because I was not particularly pleased with current Helen’s accusation towards Ben and his family that “they” were responsible for the past “slaughtering” of the mermaids in cold blood. From the little we know of the mermaids, this already makes little sense. I have never been a keen advocate of true evil or true good in characters, rather a moral grey. It is with this in mind that I have tried to go about presenting the story and its actors. If you feel I have biased one character of another, it was not my intention:/ 
> 
> Finally, as I am certain that I have bitten off much more than I can chew, please forgive me the gaps in logic you might come across while reading this.... My imagination is much more powerful than my humble writing skills...
> 
> Enjoy

Charles Pownall looked out to sea, where a ship could clearly be seen making its way to shore some leagues off. He knew what it meant, and he had long since had time to ponder how he would react on this day. Others stopped to stare as well, eyeing both him and the ship as it began to furl its sails.

He tensed.

Beside him Helen squeezed his hand. 

The mermaid looked up at him, reading his mind while simultaneously calming and soothing him. He returned her gaze and smiled.  
Even after nine months together, she was still everything he had ever hoped for in life. And she was about to make him even happier. She was soon due to give him a child. He squeezed her hand back.  
The ship anchored and longboats were launched, bringing about twenty men to shore. In the first boat was a blue robed figure that could only be Alexander Hawkins, the appointed Bristol company Factor. He was to be the new head of the trading complex that they had built. They had exchanged some letters over the winter, and he was pleased to know that the new Factor was on his side, not the side of the investors. As long as he didn’t step on too many toes, that is.

Charles went down to the beach to meet him. With him came Helen, unasked, but definitely not unwanted. She could be seen as the representor of the Haida, he mused, though Red Wolf might have been a more logical choice.

The Factor landed, stepping onto the beach. Around him other boats scratched up onto the shore.

“Captain Pownall I presume”, he said, reaching out his hand. They shook professionally.

“How has the winter treated you?” he continued, eyeing Helen suspiciously.

“As good as may be expected,” Charles replied. “May I introduce Helen, an emissary of the Heudao.”

Mr. Hawkins frowned, looking her up and down, finally shaking her hand. He was clearly not accustomed to dealing with women in power.  
Charles idly thought of punching the man for this perceived slight, but reigned himself back in.  
An actual emotional punch soon followed.

“I am happy to announce that the journey was swift and pleasant. I’m sure you will be pleased to know that your wife and children are aboard and are eager to meet you.” Hawkins continued. “I have arranged for them to be brought to shore in the second boatload.”

Beside him, Helen calmly looked at him, trying to read his expression without being too obvious. They had talked about this at length, and had decided to introduce their union to his wife and family as a couple paired because of necessary Haida tradition. Peace rites? He knew it wasn’t honest, but he simply didn’t care. He knew which of the two he wanted; had chosen. If it came to that, he was ready.  
He pushed these thoughts from his mind and bid the new Factor follow him to his residence. The house was nothing special by modern standards, but it overlooked the whole village and was well built. It housed the trading post and also had a large room set aside for meetings.

Behind him, off in the distance, a new wave of boats were rowing to shore, bringing the Pownall family to Bristol Cove.  
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Elisabeth Pownall was ashamed. Had she known, she would have never come. She beat herself, crying quietly as she rocked back and forth on her small bed. She tried to keep her voice down lest she wake the three boys.

She cast her mind back to the day’s events. When she stepped ashore with her three small sons, Benjamin, Edward, and Andrew, she was greeted by her husband and an obviously pregnant foreign woman named Helen. It had only taken a moment to realize the baby growing in her was his.

Their excuse for the circumstances had sounded hollow, contrived. She could not understand what had happened to her beloved Charles.  
She stood up and walked about her new house eying with distain the state of disorder. There were cobwebs in the corners and not all the furniture was assembled. Charles had clearly not put in his usual time and effort. No wonder! He was spending all his time with that foreign Bitch!

She clenched her jaw and balled her hands.

Hiram Bishop, Charles’ best friend, had filled in many gaps since then. He told her of the night they met, and how Charles had gradually shirked his duties. He had told her how his friend had slowly disappeared, replaced piece by piece by the enthralled man he was today.

Charles could only have been seduced by the woman. Elisabeth wiped back a tear and grudgingly bit her lip. And no wonder, she thought. The Bitch was gorgeous! She was kind. She was perfect in every way. Even the afternoon in her presence had made Elisabeth feel as if she could be her friend.

She beat herself again.

Even her precious boys had felt it! Since when did shy Andrew hug strangers!?  
She checked up on them before returning to her room.

She did not expect Charles tonight. A silent tear dripped off her cheek. She did not expect to see him any night from now on.  
She disrobed and got into the cold bed, staring at the white sealing.

Turning onto her side, she blew out the candles.  
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tzok….Tzok….Tzok.

Hiram Bishop and Red Wolf took a moment to breath and smile at each other before they continued.  
They had both been labouring in the forest for some time now, cutting down select trees for use in the buildings and boats of Bristol Cove.  
The town constantly needed lumber, and it paid well.

Hiram idly smiled.

Charles had made sure the company payed a good wage to the Haida who came to work. It was one thing that he loved about the captain. He was always thinking of these things.  
The two went back to work.

Tzok….Tzok….Tzok….

Bristol cove had grown quite large in the past year; so much so that it was attracting Haida out of Heudao. They were living out on one of the points, travelling to town to trade and visit the tavern. Red Wolf had not hidden his disappointment at that, but he had to admit it was nice to have money. Americans always loved money.

Hiram snorted.

He knew all too well. He himself had been sold for it in his youth.

His mind switched gears, thinking about the tavern instead. He had been quite surprized at the beginning of winter to see Charles’ new love, Helen, working there.  
She was quite the mystery. Everyone he talked to about her had something interesting to say. Some said she was strong, others wise. All agreed she was a great beauty. No one seemed to know where she came from, not even the Haida. She wasn’t one of them; that was for certain. Quite the mystery indeed. 

And what she did to Charles; that was outright unnatural. Charles had not been himself since they had met. He wondered if something powerful like Voodoo was involved. Perhaps a Haida love spell?

He shuddered, putting Charles’ gradual change of character out of mind.

Helen had caused quite the stir recently when she tried to publically befriend Elisabeth Pownall. She was brave, that one. Or naïve. That would be the talk of the town for quite some time.  
Hiram snorted again focussing back on his work.

Tzok….Tzok….Tzok.  
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Helen wiped off another table, returning the cloth to her tray. She grabbed the two empty cups and placed them on her tray as well.

She was working at the tavern again. 

She really enjoyed working here. It was always busy and she had a good opportunity to talk to people. To Humans.  
She felt sometimes as if she had special personal access to all the doings and goings of Bristol Cove. 

Looking up, she saw Mr. Amos come in. She smiled.

Like clockwork, Mr. Amos came in every day after work and ordered a pint of Beer. The same Beer every day, though he disliked not being able to order it himself. She walked over to him smiling and tried her curtsy. Despite her pregnancy, she still loved doing it. He reacted as usual.

“Miss! No need for that! In your condition…..” 

He grabbed her hand, trying to steady her. She didn’t need it, but she let him help her none-the-less. He was very kind.  
In fact everyone was kind. Incredibly kind. To her face, that is.

She got his order, bringing him his daily beer. Her mind began to drift as she looked over the room. Two refills for the fishermen in the corner. She needed to do something about that smell. It always smelled in here.

Hore.

Yes, that was what some of the men and most of the women called her behind her back. She had asked Charles what it meant, but he had just become angry. Not at her. Never at her.  
He had become angry at the town. He had told her they were wrong.

Charles.

Dear Charles. Always looking out for her, protecting her, keeping her safe and grounded.

A slightly sour memory entered her mind unbidden. Charles had been a little off lately. He had not been getting enough sleep and was sometimes following her around even though they both knew he had other things to do. She shrugged. He was just so cute. Perhaps this was a thing of Humans in love. He had asked her to sing again last night. He was asking this quite often now…

No.

Helen knew better. Something was going on. She had talked to Charles’ friend Hiram, and he seemed to think Charles was not well. Not well in the head. He called him sick.  
Hiram did not like her and made it plain, but he was a good friend to Charles. She had learned to trust his judgement on some human things. Perhaps he was right about Charles.  
She felt a kick in her stomach.

The baby was almost due. 

She smiled.

This was a dream come true, a new beginning for her people and for the humans.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Captain! CAPTAIN!”

Charles looked up from his paperwork at the Factor’s house as Levi, the former deckhand of the Crane, ran in breathless.  
“What is it, my Boy?” he asked. Levi was not known as very quick, physically or spiritually. Sweat poured down his face.

“Helen!... the Haida woman. Your woman.” He gasped. “Her water’s broke”.

“Where is she?” Charles yelled, throwing aside his work. His mind raced. 

“At Doc Samuels House”.

Charles ran, heedless of his jacket. In a few minutes he had covered the ground to the village’s clinic. It wasn’t much, but it had serviced well enough so far. A new larger building was being planned. Charles ran, crashing through the door. He could hear screaming. Inside, he was confronted by two doctor’s aids, Isabel and Margery Lewis. They were sisters, and they ran a tight ship.

“Let me Pass” he roared.

Neither moved. They blocked his way, trying to usher him to a nearby bench. He nearly beat them aside, but decided against it. They were needed on the other side of that door.

“Captain Pownall, you know as well as I, that it’s bad luck to watch a woman give birth. Let Doctor Samuels do his job.”

Isabel said, trying to herd him backwards. The two shared a look. 

Charles knew and silently cursed them. The whole town had been gossiping like geese since his wife arrived, wondering how this would all turn out. He slowly, painfully, moved back and sat down.  
It took some time to calm down, but he finally managed to sit still. Minutes turned to hours. Inside, Helen wailed and moaned. Finally as the sun was beginning to set, he heard the unmistakable cry of new life. He darted past the two sisters, eager to share in the moment.

What he found waiting for him stopped him in his tracks.

Helen was lying on the bed, not moving. Bloody sheets lay all around her, torn and shredded from her labour. He ran to her.

She was alive.

He turned to the doctor.

“Will she be alright?” he inquired, his hand holding hers.

Doctor Samuels gave no answer. He was white in the face, holding a large sheet filled with a form. He seemed to be holding it as far away from his body as he could.

Their baby.

The doctor finally found his voice.

“Captain Pownall, you have a girl…” he coughed, looking worried. “A girl, but… but she is deformed.”

Charles grabbed the child out of the doctor’s hands. His girl looked back at him with his own blue-grey eyes. That, however, was where the similarities ended. She was mottled with grey rough skin that looked like scales sticking out over pale human flesh. Her teeth were uneven, some pointed while others not. She had two deformed legs that had bits of fin protruding. Her little fingers had small talons. Instinctively, she grabbed a hold of his finger.

The doctor continued shakily.

“She will suffer her whole life Charles. We… we can take her off your hands if you’d like.”

The Captain stiffened as if struck.

“What?” he hissed.

A tiny voice in his head brought him out of the verbal attack he was planning to unleash. Was he really surprised about Doc Samuels? Of course the guy wouldn’t know a thing about his little girl. She was from another world, and the rules of medicine did not apply here. He made up his mind.

“I’ll take care of her” he said. “Take care of Helen. I’ll be back in a bit”.

The doctor nodded sadly.

Charles moved for the door, clutching his new daughter.  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Kung K'ajúugang, known as Moon singer in Heudao, jumped as she heard a loud hurried knock at the door. It was after dark, and most in the village were asleep. She slowly moved to the door, pushing it open.

Charles Pownall, the captain from Bristol cove, stood there. With him stood Red Wolf. In Charles’ hands was a baby in a bloody blanket. The baby cried, making infrequent gurgling noises as if it wasn’t getting enough air.

Moon singer looked at Charles. He was wet with sweat from head to toe, as if he had run a great distance. Looking closer at the baby in his arms, she suddenly understood why.  
The baby was deformed. It had claws sprouting from the ends of its fingers, scales emerged along its spine, and deformed legs with fins peeked through the cloth.  
Ancient memories stirred in her. Stories of a time when her ancestors had seen such things.

“Bring the poor thing here” she gasped. Pownall handed it over gently. She could see it was a girl. A girl with Pownall’s eyes.

“Her mother? She is Hlgahls-chiin? Helen?”

“Yes” he replied simply. Worry splayed over his face.

“Let’s see what we can do for her. Pownall, bring water, both from the sea and from the land. Here, fill these sacks” she commanded as she gave him two skins.  
Pownall raced off. Moon singer looked at Red Wolf. 

“We need whale milk. What we will have to do this poor girl will take all her strength. Perhaps more. The poor thing…”

He dashed off towards his longhouse.

The night had only just begun when Helen and Charles’ child was brought to Moon singer, but it was almost over by the time they were finished. The medicine woman had bathed the child in pond water, forcing its sea forms to incrementally melt away. They fed it whale milk to nourish it, and then bathed it in salt water, forcing its human form to shrink. Each time, the baby became more of one world or the other. Again and again, like waves on the shore, the tiny baby convulsed and changed, losing the impurities it had been born with. Charles looked on with dread. Just as the sun began to peak above the horizon, the little girl finally truly emerged.

She was whole. 

And beautiful. But very weak.

He held her in his arms.

“She has to stay here” Moon singer cautioned. “She will need more help if she is to survive”.

Charles only nodded, smiling down at her.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Helen woke up to the stench of her own body. She was lying prostrate on a bed, surrounded by ripped and bloody sheets. Around her, nurses were trying to clean up.

“Where is it”, she moaned.

A nurse came running.

“Poor dear”, she condoled. “The child, a girl, was sick and malformed. It wasn’t going to live… have a good life…Charles took it into the woods. It was a mercy.”  
Cold sweat poured through the mermaid.

“Charles…. Charles took my baby away…. To the woods….. to Kill??” she stammered. Tears leaked down her eyes.

This could not be. Gentle, beautiful Charles? Why??

Cold realisation played across her weakened mind. Was Charles acting rationally? Was he sick? Had Hiram been right about him?

The mermaid began to get up unsteadily, terror, anger, and confusion lighting her eyes. The nurses rushed to her side, trying to get her back in bed, but the result was that they ended up on the floor.  
Helen stumbled to some clothed and put them on while Doctor Samuels looked on, shaking from head to toe. Finished, she went through the doors.

“Charles! CHARLES! Where are you?” she yelled. 

The village around her ground to a halt, viewing the woman they knew as Helen in full panic, fury, and pain. 

“Charles? Where is she?””

Joseph Ainley, the old quartermaster from the Crane ran up.

“Dear!? What is it? Charles is in the woods. He left at sunset and hasn’t returned yet.”

Another stranger chimed in. 

“Yeah, I saw him with a bloody sheet!”

The crowd gasped.

Helen paled, though she already looked like someone at death’s door. She stumbled towards the woods. Ainley tried to stop her, but she pushed him aside like a door, hissing. No one else followed.  
Helen looked for Charles and her girl all night. She became weaker and weaker. Finally, as the sun began to rise over the horizon, she realized she was too weak to make it back to town.

The ocean was near. Her real home called.

She sadly looked back at the woods. She was close to where she had first met Charles last summer at the Pond.

“Charles…. How could you”, she cried. 

She would come back.

The surf was close and she crawled to it on all fours, so weak was she. The sea water rushed over her, starting her transformation.  
Her beautiful pale skin darkened into scales. Her hands grew claws and webbing. He legs fused together, producing a powerful finned tail. Spines grew on her back.

Giving one final scream of pain and loss from a mouth full of serrated teeth, she dove.

She was so weak.

She only made it a few miles out to sea where the shelf began to slope down. She had lost her last strength. If only she could make it home... To her real home…. She let out a pitiful wail of distress.  
She sank, unable to continue. For a while she slowly floated down. Peace of a sorts washed over her as went deeper and deeper.

She finally hit the bottom and lay there prostrate, her beautiful hair floating lifelessly around her closed eyes.

***

Sometime later a Merman found her. She was barely holding on to life.  
He swam up to her, panic etched in his clear blue eyes.

“Mistress! I live to serve” he sang. “He knew her. She was one of the Matriarchs.”

“Find…. My child” Helen whispered weakly. “Save my child. My girl. On land. Charles. Charles Pownall. He is sick. Bad in the head. Help…”  
She faltered, unable to finish.

The merman cuddled her til she passed, then quietly lifted her body and swam grievingly towards home.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

When Charles Pownall returned to Bristol Cove at noon, he was greeted with a scene of confusion and fear. Up and down the main street, people looked at him and whispered. Some clutched their children. Some did not even try to hide their distain. He quickly found out why.

Helen had broken out of the clinic in her weakened state and had screamed and hollered for him and for their little girl, making quite the scene. She had thrown Mr. Amos clear across the road, breaking his arm. No one seemed to know where she had gone, other than that she had been limping in the general direction of the woods, trailing a shredded set of clothes.

“She looked like she was possessed”, Nathan the blacksmith chimed in.

Charles grew cold inside. Helen did not know their beautiful daughter lived! Those stupid nurses. Damn Doctor Samuels. He raised his voice.  
“People, we need to find her. She is weak, she needs our help!!” 

No one moved. Disgusted, he continued. 

“I need help people! I’ll give a dollar to the person who finds her”

That made people take notice. Within the hour, some thirty men were out in the woods looking for his beloved Helen. They searched all day, finally discovering some strange marks on the beach and a pile of bloody, ripped clothes.

Charles knelt, quietly crying. He knew what this meant. She had returned to the sea. Without him. She had forsaken her life with him. 

The men left for home, but Charles just sat there, staring out at sea. In his mind, he heard her song, saw her face, felt her caress. 

Something snapped within him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there it is!
> 
> Hopefully it made sense. I had a blast writing it, and only went through 4 pots of tea to do so :P  
> I have done my very best to piece together the plot points we know of from the show, and have tried to make characters relatable yet flawed. I have also tried to make their environment realistic to the time…
> 
> Please tell me what you think of the characters... Are they relatable? Realistic? Do they feel correct for the time period?
> 
> Also, please tell me what you think of the plot:) I thrive off of commentary, so don’t be shy:) How do you think these events unfolded? 
> 
> As I mentioned before, this story will be my last for a while since summer is here... BUT, I will be back come fall. I am almost done part 4, and intend to post 3 and 4 in the next days.


	3. The Massacre at Bristol Cove

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the disappearance of Helen, Charles reels from the loss of his mate, and begins to to show signs of the siren sickness. Around him, the town of Bristol Cove grows and prospers, but unfortunately for all, events begin to spiral out of control as unnown players make their move...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all!
> 
> This is part three of the story of Charles Pownall and his mermaid. This is clearly mostly from my mind, as we have few details about these events presented to us from the show runners. The plot of this chapter concerns itself with the build up and the actual act of the "slaughter". 
> 
> As I mentioned in chapter two, I am not very convinced that current Helen's story about the slaughter is the unbiased version of what occured on that fateful day, so I have tried to envision this as a misunderstanding and a result of the time in our histor that it took place in (aka 1850's West coast politics..). 
> 
> In any case, I hope you enjoy!

Charles Pownall rocked back and forth in his office, staring blankly at the wall in front of him. He was hearing her song again. The beautiful melody Helen had sung to him so many times haunted his dreams. The first time he had heard it, he had been transfixed by her kindness and beauty, but now that she was gone, it had taken on a more sinister tone.

He took a swig of the Brandy he now kept on his desk. It didn’t help in the least, but he still felt he needed it.

He tried to focus on his work again, wiping away a small tear.

The town was progressing well. Mr. Hawking, the company Factor, had signed on a group of fishermen who were now bringing their catch directly to the harbour instead of sailing to Port Angeles. This had given lots of locals a job, including many on his former Crew. He wanted in on this lucrative deal.

He sighed.

Shortly after Helen had left him and their little girl, the company had seen fit to remove him of his command of the Crane. Apparently a new captain was underway to take command of the ship majestically rocking to and fro in the harbour. He grimaced, anger and hurt flashing over his face.

And then there was his other family. Elisabeth Pownall had come calling yesterday, sensing perhaps that he might want her back. Or seeking to secure his money… He went with her only to see his three boys. He loved them too, but it was hard right now to feel anything other than loss.

He had lost Helen. 

It seemed everything related back to her. It seemed as if she was everywhere he looked. He saw her at church, at the tavern, and even at home. He had called her, but she was never really there. He didn’t know what this meant. People had begun to whisper things about him when his back was turned…

He couldn’t sit still.

Charles got up and gathered his belongings, making for the door. A good walk might clear his head.

The town looked pretty in the evening light, but the former captain was not interested in the local sights. He was heading for the beach.  
The beach where his love had left him.

On the way, his mind flipped through the last few weeks of his life. His lovely daughter was still struggling, but she had made some good progress. He visited her as often as he could, and had set up a small fund to help Moon singer. 

Moon singer… she was so gentle and kind... a wonderful grandmotherly figure. But his daughter needed her mother. She needed him.

Looking over the surf, Charles wished Helen would return. He wondered why she didn’t. If she asked any of the Elder women Haida in Heudao, they would know the truth. They would tell her the truth and then he would surely be forgiven.

A lone figure appeared before him on the beach with long dark brown hair. Was it her? Helen? His mind raced as he lost all control. He ran. It was only when he was really close that he realized it was a Haida lady out to collect clams. She eyed him concernedly, and then moved past. He excused himself and moved on.

His thoughts returned to his beautiful daughter. He had named her Jaida, after Moon singer’s Haida name for her; Gántl Jáadaa. It meant water woman. He loved it, but he loved her more. She was so beautiful and precious. His only link to Helen.

Charles finally came to the spot where they had found Helen’s last clothes. He had kept them of course, but he needed to be here to remind himself. He sat down and looked out to sea. Somewhere out there, he imagined, she was. What was she thinking? Was she safe? Did she ever think of him?

Suddenly, he heard the song again. It seemed to be coming from off shore. It was so melodic, so melancholy. He was immediately transfixed. 

He looked around but could not see anything. His heart leapt. Was she out there? Did she need his help?

Stripping to his small clothes, he waded in, yelling her name.

When he was up to his shoulders, the song suddenly stopped. 

He looked around, confused. When had he gotten into the water? Had he seen something? He looked around. Confusion danced across his mind.

Agg, the water was cold!

Wading out again, he decided to return to town. He would visit Jaida tomorrow.

Worry at what had just happed ate at his mind.  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hiram Bishop watched Charles walk home through the streets. He was genuinely worried for his friend, but Charles would have none of it.  
It was clear that he was sick. Most people chalked it up to him grieving for Helen. Hiram grieved for her too, though he suspected something else was up. He grimaced. Some of the local fishermen were coming his way. They had taken a disliking to him recently, perhaps because of how he looked.  
Hiram ducked behind a house. There were other ways to get home.  
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The stranger eyed the small wooden boxes pulled up on the beach as he walked past them. They smelled of food and death. He hissed, feeling vulnerable so close to these “ships”. Foggy air swirled around him. He was here for a reason. He had been sent.

The matriarchs under the water had mourned and heeded his report on the death of Hlgahls-chiin, and had sent him to find the child and bring her back to the sea. The female should not grow up on land surrounded by these… things, these land walkers. He hissed again.

The man had come to this human settlement with several of his other hunters, and had been sent ahead to scout out the terrain. Now here he was, walking and wearing clothes like the humans around him. He thought these draping on him smelled bad.

He moved slowly onto the streets of the settlement, allowing himself to blend in. All around him people were walking, talking, and moving things. It did not feel at all like it did the last time he had come to shore many years ago. The humans looked different.

He listened in, trying to understand what these humans were saying.

They both turned to him with unreadable expressions. He decided to try something out.

“Child. Charles Pownall” he slowly worded.

The two shared confused looks. He tried again.

“Child girl. Charles Pownall”

The two backed away and moved off. The stranger analyzed the discussion. It seemed they were confused that he was unable to speak like they could. He decided to find a place to hear many speaking. Looking around, he chose a large building. Perhaps this place would be good?

He entered a darkly lit room with many men eating and drinking. It smelled very bad. The stranger hissed. He moved to a corner and emulated those around him, shrinking into a wooden thing that everyone else was on. There he could listen.

Over the next hour, the stranger perched, reading people’s faces. He understood a great many things. The drinks the humans were having were called Beer or Rum. The humans with bulges on their chests were called woman and those without, men. Most here worked on things called boats. He also learned money brought more beers. Or Rum. Or woman. He left once he could not take any more of the smell.

On the street, he asked more people. 

“Child. Pownall?”

After three attempts someone finally answered. He seemed to be pointing at a building.

The stranger went there to look around. There were many people about. Some were carrying things while others talked and gave money. A grey haired man everyone called Frederic was running about. Humans and their moving things… the Merman hissed.  
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Charles could not believe his eyes. At the edge of the crowd at the trading center, there was a man wearing some loose fitting clothes with powerful blue eyes. Eyes like Helen’s.

He tensed. Who was this?

He pushed through the crowd and came face to face with the man. The man indeed had striking blue eyes.

“Hello? Can I help you?” the former captain said. 

The large man looked at him intently and then spat out.

“Child. Girl. Pownall.”

Charles felt a shiver go up his spine. Had Helen sent someone? Why would she? Why didn’t she come herself?

“Yes, I am Charles Pownall. How can I help you? How do you know of my girl? Did Helen send you?

The stranger seemed to read something in him and continued.  
“Child Pownall. Come with me back. Back Home.”

Charles began to shake. Had Helen sent this friend? This Merman to bring their beautiful Jaida back to the Ocean? He knew how powerful mermaids were, and began to wonder about this man. Was he dangerous? He tried to be clear.

“Where is Helen? Why hasn’t she come back to me? We are waiting for her. Our little girl Jaida and I are waiting.”

The Merman hissed in frustration, and began a new series of words.

“Helen. Hlgahls-chiin. Kill. Baby girl. Come. Get “

Charles felt a dread gnaw at him. What was this merman saying? His mind began to churn out scenarios. Had Helen sent this merman to kill him and Jaida? Why? Why would she do that??  
Unnatural anger overcame him. The song began again in his head.

“You’re not getting her” Pownall spat at the merman. 

The merman reacted quickly, hissing, and raising a hand as if struck. When no attack came, he struck back, knocking Charles off his feet and back a yard.  
As Charles lay in the dirt, his mind raced to a new conclusion. Had this man killed Helen? He stood up. Around him a crowd was gathering.

“Stop that man,” Charles yelled. “I think he knows something about Helen’s disappearance.”

The Merman hissed, making people back up.

“What is it?” Someone in the crowd yelled.

The Merman hissed again.

Charles mind locked onto a desperate idea. If he could perhaps capture this merman, they might get him into a jail cell where he could be interrogated. He would then be able to patiently learn what was actually going on with Helen. Cold sweat played across his shoulders. Could Helen really be dead?

“Arrest that man” Pownall yelled out.

The mermaid lunged, perhaps sensing entrapment. Three people went flying. 

A quick brawl ensued. The merman was very powerful, but he was eventually pushed into a stand of fish. An errant washing bucket was upended, splashing all over everyone. Including the merman. Charles tasted salt water.

Before the town’s eyes, the merman’s skin sizzled and began to scale. His face morphed, stretching to produce sharp teeth. On his one hand, claws and webbing emerged. The howl he made was piercing.

‘It’s a monster!” people yelled and screamed. 

Charles cursed. He had lost control of the situation.  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The hunters waited for their leader to return to them with news. Lazily swimming back and forth in the bay, they quietly peered at the settlement. For most of the day, they had been at this, but their leader had cautioned them to take this matter seriously. They did. The loss of a child of the colony was no small matter.

Suddenly one of the hunters hissed. 

“LOOK”.

All four surfaced and looked at the settlement. There was great commotion on the beach. They could tell something was up, but not what was happening. Not yet. They moved in silently to see more.  
On the shore they heard a deafening roar.

Their leader! He was being transformed by the humans in the cruelest way. They could now see him being pulled through the shallows with a rope around his neck. He slowly snapped and twisted back into his ocean form. Stunned silence overcame the crowd. But only for a moment. The chief hunter was pierced many times by shiny harpoons.

The four hunters cried as one.

Their leader was being hoisted up into the air for all to see! He was being tied to a pole! They watched in horror as he twitched and finally sagged. He was dead.

The four hunters gnashed their teeth and beat their tails in anger. They could do nothing. They submerged, turning their heads homeward. This could not be tolerated! This was an act of War! Maybe they could do nothing now, but soon the humans would pay!  
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hiram peeked out at the world from behind his curtains. The town was still rowdy from the afternoon lynching.

He had seen this all before, but never here. He had thought people of Bristol Cove were better than that.  
Sighing, he stared out onto the dock where the Merman thing slowly hung. A chill swept over him.

Perhaps he was being too hasty.

The events of the hanging weighed heavily on him. He was so confused. How could such a creature exist? Where on god’s earth had it come from? And why did it have the same eyes that Helen had?  
Charles had been very quiet during the execution. Did he know?

Hiram’s mind raced…

Where had Helen gone? Was she one of “Them”? For that matter, where had Charles gone when he ran into the woods? People said he had been holding a blood sheet.  
Had he been carrying a baby?

Her Baby?  
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A foggy night hung over Bristol cove. Down at the docks, people slowly fixed their gear and packed their nets in tight for a new day out on the water. Most were quiet. What had happened today had unnerved everyone.

Charles looked sadly at the corpse of the merman as it swayed slowly back and forth on the end of the dock. Seagulls had already picked at it, but the sight of something so near to Helen made him feel like he could vomit.

He could not believe how the people of the town had reacted. They had acted possessed. Like animals. A picture of Franklin, the local cleric, incanting god’s wrath upon the merman made him break out into a cold sweat.

Charles stood there, deep in thought. He blamed himself. How could he have thought that it was a good idea to capture a merman? He was no longer thinking straight. The anger that had overcome him was not his own, but something new. 

The Song.

It was doing something to him. Something he did not like. To dispel this notion, he took a swig of a flask of rum he had brought with him. It did not help.

He shook his head and slowly walked towards his house. He had finally resettled with Elisabeth and his boys. He had become too lonely at his cottage alone without Helen.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A group of about fifty Mer-people emerged from the dark moonlit bay and transformed on the beach. The novel feeling of being two-legged took quite a few by surprise. They leaned on their spears until they were comfortable.

They were not accustomed to coming to land, but the situation called for it. Kuun, the elder matriarch, hissed, drawing all eyes to her. She raised her spear and pointed off into the distance where the night lights of the town shone. 

“Find Pownall, Find Child. Kill Him. Kill All” she screeched. The hatred in her voice made several nearby maidens flinch. They knew why they were there, but killing humans did not come naturally to any of them. 

The stumbling group set forth, hissing and snarling, as they quickly came to terms with the feeling of rocks under their feet, sand between their toes, and grass scraping against their thighs.  
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Francis McBride stumbled out of the tavern to the most amazing sight. Coming out of the darkness by the water were a whole bunch of naked ladies. He leaned himself up against the railing and grinned. 

“Wait a second!” he coughed.

There were a whole bunch of naked men as well! What the hell were they on about?

When the first projectile hit next to his head, he realized that the naked troop were wielding weird spears. He had only a moment to think before one hit into his chest. He stumbled back into the Tavern, spurting Blood.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Joseph Ainley was polishing his glasses when he heard the distinctive cry of “Help, Help!” down the road by the docks. He was not the youngest anymore, and the arm that Helen had broken had just healed enough for him to take off the sling. It still hurt quite a bit.

He stood up slowly, peering down the street at the Tavern. He shrugged. Likely, some of the new fishermen were at it again. They were quite the unruly bunch. He was just about to turn his back when he saw a naked man cross over the street with a large harpoon in his hand.

What was this? He peered closer. 

A man ran out of the tavern with a harpoon rammed through him. Behind him, a naked woman came out, slashing him. The man flew several feet before crumpling onto the ground.  
Joseph swore. He could see blood on the street.

He ran back into his house, upsetting his wife who was knitting. 

“Catharine! There is some trouble at the Tavern! Get upstairs. QUICK!” he yelled. 

He was already moving beyond her confused and startled stare. Behind a counter, he kept his riffle. He took it out and crammed a bullet into the chamber. The rest, he poured into his pockets.  
He ran back out onto the street. He needed to make it to the church to ring the town bell.  
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Charles was woken from his stupor by the ringing of the church bell. He looked at his pocket watch confused. It was after 10. He yawned. He barely got any sleep these days because of the song, and was quite frankly annoyed.

Who the bloody hell would do that? He wondered. He heard several shots go off.

He sprang up and looked out. Down the street, naked bodies with spears were leaping out onto the street from the tavern! By the light he could see that there were dark patches on the road.  
He cursed, somehow instinctively knowing what was happening.

He ran for the cabinet where he kept his hunting rifle. On second thought, he also grabbed his ornate captain’s sabre.

Out on the streets, he could see mermen and maidens breaking into houses and pulling out their inhabitants. They were a terror to behold. Human corpses flew as the mermen ripped through doors. He loaded his rifle and shot at distance, hitting a balcony. 

The sound attracted the attention of several merfolk. A spear crashed into the street close to his feet and skidded off into the dark. He reloaded and fired again.  
This time he hit, and a pretty women collapsed. The others around her looked around bewildered.

Charles could not care. He dared not. His town was under attack. Was this his fault too? He reloaded and fired, hitting another one, this time a man. The rest dispersed.  
In the back of his mind, the song echoed… 

And his rage was unleashed.  
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Alexander Hawkins woke to hear gunshots. Mere moments later, his door exploded in shards and a naked man stepped in.

Mr. Hawkins, the Factor of Bristol cove, was not a soldier. But in this instance, with his wife next to him and his four kids in the next room, he realized his time had come. He jumped out of bed and threw the fire poker at the intruder. His wife screamed.

The naked man swatted it away and leapt at him pining him to the wall. He thrashed, trying to get his assailant’s hands off him, but all he managed to do was get him crammed in even worse.  
Black spots swam before his eyes...

******

Margaret was a stout woman, but she sprang into action when her husband was pinned by the naked man with the blue eyes. She ran to the main cabinet, and fished out Alexander’s letter opener. It was good steel, with a blade about the size of her hand. She knew it would do. Grabbing it, she plunged it into the invader’s back. Blood came flowing out. The assailant roared, but she gave him no chance. She stabbed him again and again, yelling like she had never done before.

He finally collapsed, revealing her poor Alexander. His neck had been twisted right around.  
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Matriarch Kuun screeched as a male beside her collapsed as if hit. She could not see how. She smelled him, revealing metal between his shoulder blades.  
She peered down the street. A moment later, another member of her colony fell. She stared, transfixed in pain.

She did not understand. How were these weak humans putting up such a fight? She realized with a sinking feeling that these woodmen were quite unlike the Haida. The Haida had usually used spears like the mer-people had, and so were outmatched by their strength. These newcomers used something else. Sticks with fire.

She screeched, ordering the clan to return to the water. They were outmatched.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bristol cove was like and ant hill that had been kicked, Charles realized. All throughout the streets, neighbours rallied with guns, pitchforks, axes, and the odd knife. He though he saw one man with a net. He gathered his shipmates together. News came that the Factor was dead. 

He took charge.

“Men, I can’t believe I’m saying this” he began, anger in his voice,” but we’ve been attacked! Attacked by Mermaids!” He pointed at a naked one crumpled up nearby. She looked so pretty, but he turned his attention back to his crew. “We need to defend ourselves! Defend the town” 

The crew erupted in cheers laced with anger and confusion.

“Men, Listen!” he yelled, “We need to make sure they never trouble us again! We need to catch them before they leave!”  
Charles hated himself. He had learned to love mermaids through Helen, and his daughter reminded him often that they were beautiful and fair. He hardened his heart. 

“To the Boats!” He cried.

Men streamed after him, holding up lanterns.

In his mind, Helens song echoed. He was lost to anger.  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Kuun looked back. Streaming out of the town were a multitude of humans. 

She hissed in panic. 

Around her were many of her hunters and sirens, but she realized they needed to get away. 

Now.

As the first shots roared out, she dove into the sea.  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It was a bloodbath, Charles realized. The mermaids were taking too long to form back into their sea forms. 

Guns lit up the night as blood spurted and leaked out of corpses floating in the bay. Everywhere there was thrashing, and he could see nets being thrown into the water to prevent the sea creatures from making it into the deep water. Someone had thrown oil, lighting up a part in eerie flames.

More and more boats were being manned, as fishermen and other sailors began to pick up speed and drop their nets. Two crashed together, clearly having been smashed or toppled from underneath the waves. They both capsized, spewing men. Few rose to the surface again.

“Watch out” He yelled. A merman with a spear rammed it deep into one of the deckhands on his boat, pulling him lifelessly into the water. Charles stabbed back with his sabre, cutting flesh.  
On another boat he saw a siren sing a man into the sea. 

Charles froze. 

The man just leapt! It happened so fast… Pain and realisation crashed through him.

It was also a weapon!

Cocking his riffle, he shot her through.

“Get the Harpoons ready” he yelled.  
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The shoreline of Bristol Cove was almost entirely red. Red Wolf lowered his eyes, silent tears streaming down his face. These Americans! They had killed all those beautiful creatures. Why!?

Around him, a group of Haida and watched in dismay as the butchers scooped and pulled the many lifeless bodies out of the water. Some were theirs of course, but the vast majority were those of the Gántl Jáadaa, the Water women.

Prominently seen amongst the men on the beach was Charles Pownall, his friend, bloodied from head to toe. He was waving around a sabre. Men flocked to him with harpoons.

Friend no longer. 

No one he knew could be so monstrous. Not to the magical Gántl Jáadaa! He turned his back on Bristol Cove.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Moon singer cried as she listened to the news. The Gántl Jáadaa were slaughtered! How could the Americans do that!? Monsters!!  
Deep pain settled in her chest. They had lost the song. The song that would cure her people’s sickness.

And Pownall. What was she to make of him? 

Red wolf was beside himself in grief that his long standing friend could do such a thing. 

Moon singer pondered deeply. She pulled on old memories her grandmother had told her. Old memories that told of the song of sirens. Of the Gántl Jáadaa. According to these old stories, some water women possessed a spell that could turn men to lust. To madness.

She looked over at little Jaida, contently sleeping, and wondered. 

Had Helen turned Charles to madness with her departure? Or was this something he always had in him?

So many things on her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there it is.
> 
> Hope that this captured some of the essence of how you believe that event unfolded. I had been toying with many versions of how things could have ended up, but ultimately decided to stick with this...
> 
> I think this could be a way that events unfolded. It definitely would lead some people to believe that Charles was at fault for the slaughter, especially if they weren't there for the events that happened in town. As a budding Historian, I can confidently say that every event that takes place has multiple perspectives that develop out of it, and it depends entirely on whose story you believe. The daughter of Charles (and her descendants), in this case, would likely have been told the Haida version of the story. I have tried to make it sould like modern Helen's version.  
> I wonder what Ted Pownalls version of that fateful day will be? Hope they tell his side of the story:P
> 
> Anyways, as always, I live off of feedback! Please tell me what ou thought, and feel free to tell me how you envisioned the events of that day taking place!!!


	4. The Girl of Two Worlds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaida, the daughter of Helen and Charles, grows up an anomaly in her community. She comes to terms with her history and vows to make the best of it...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right.
> 
> This is the last chapter in my foray into the past. I think it only fitting to end with a hopeful note; a next step towards the modern world we know. The character of Jaida represents this to me. She is the daughter of Charles and Helen.. the grandmother of the Helen we know and love from the modern Bristol Cove timeline.
> 
> All great stories are forgotten in time, and this chapter is meant to show the slow progression away from the slaughter and the return to normalicy thereafter. While writin g this I was wondering... How would people forget about mermaids? How would they rationalize their past to their kids? Would they tell them, or would they try to hide this part of their history...
> 
> food for thought..
> 
> Enjoy

Jaida ran to the end of the point, revelling in the smell of the trees, the salt of the air, and the cry of the seagulls above. The wind blew her long light brown hair back over her shoulders and made her dress flap like the flag in front of the school. Kicking off her shoes, she raced over the last boulders and landed with a joyous leap onto the sand. 

Here she was home. She laughed.

She kicked up sand as she raced to the edge of the surf and sat down. Moon singer was somewhere behind her, and would catch up, but… she…. was….. soooo…. slow!  
She lay there panting for a while until the old lady came and sat beside her. 

Jaida looked her over, noticing that she was now almost as big as her adopted mother.

“Jaida dear!” Moon singer sighed. “Don’t run so fast. I can’t keep up!”

It was true, but she smiled, calming quickly.  
Jaida looked out at the sea. She was now 9 and understood how Moon Singer thought. How she worried. She was just scared her little girl would run straight into the water and disappear. 

Again. 

Jaida had swum out before, and Moon singer had hated it. She put the thought of playful rebellion from her mind.

Today they were going to learn a story about the killer whales.

“In the beginning” Moon singer began….

Jaida was already day dreaming…. She loved these stories so much. Every day she begged Moon singer if they could go to the beach and have her teach her a new story. She especially loved the ones about her people. About the Mermaids! It made her sad that they had all been killed. Her mother….

Her thoughts went to her father.

Xung! Daddy!

Jaida could only remember him sad, but Moon singer said that he had once been a very happy man. She knew this. Every time she saw him, he lit up like a lantern for the briefest of moments.  
When he recognized her. 

He was not doing very well these days. Jaida’s half-brothers had all said that Daddy saw things. Things that made him laugh and cry.

Perhaps he sees Mommy, she thought.

There were no pictures of mommy, but Daddy said that she looked a lot like her. She had the same face, the same hair, the same body. But she had his eyes. She loved that about herself.  
Moon singer had told her of the story of her birth and about the mermaids in Bristol Cove. She had told her how her father had saved her from the doctors and had brought her to the Haida. She had even told her how her mother had disappeared trying to find her. And of the disaster. The slaughtering of the mermaids in Bristol Cove.

Some nights Jaida wondered if her mother was still out there, looking.

She snapped back to attention, realizing her adopted mother was asking her a question.

“So, why are the Killer Whales called Black fish?”

Oh! She knew this one!

“Because they are spirit animals that help humans travel from this realm to the next. Right?” she said.  
Moon singer nodded and then corrected and added to her response.

Black fish. Her mother’s Haida name.

Jaida was already dreaming again. Her mother might be out there. Some day when she was old and strong enough she would go looking.  
She quietly listened to Moon singer, promising herself that she would go visit Daddy soon.  
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Charles sat at the local lawyer’s office, rocking slowly back and forth in his chair. He had been waiting quite some time. In his mind, the terrifying song pounded away, as if reminding him of all his past sins. He had tried everything to get rid of it; forget it. Nothing worked.

He had worked himself half to death; drunk himself half to death. He had tried to go to sea again. He had nearly drowned several times. He had tried to get help from the Haida, but they had turned their back on him for his deeds in the Bay all those years ago. He had travelled inland, but inevitably found himself back here. 

Here. Where his beloved Helen disappeared.

Charles coughed in pain as the song took on a stronger, more accusatory tone. It was not his fault! She had left him. 

Sadness wormed its way onto his face. He remember the weeks he had spent combing the woods and the shallows around Bristol Cove. He sometimes still did. Time did not heal his wounds. In fact, time made them worse. More fanatical. He was barely holding on most days now.

The one thing that had saved him from total destruction was Jaida. His beloved mermaid daughter. Seeing her seemed to cool the powers of the song in his mind. For a while.  
He had tried to be the best father he could be, but he knew he had failed. He had initially tried to bring her with him to town, but she was not accepted by the community or his family. No one wanted to wet nurse a girl that might or might not have mermaid blood in them.

Yes, people suspected. 

It was hard not to make the connections after the battle, when many of the female mermaid corpses were examined. They had looked a lot like Helen.  
There mere thought of Helen made the song unbearable. Before he knew it he was outside, heading towards the beach. 

He realised his mistake. 

Gasping and wiping his brow, he slowly retraced his steps back into the Lawyer’s office. Sitting down, he continued his thoughts, mopping his brow. This had happened before.  
Yes, his daughter. He had tried his best, but had realized that she needed to stay with the Haida. He worried though. Things were not going well at the Haida village. Sickness had broken out and was claiming lives. Many Haida had moved further inland or were now living in town. The government was keen to move them onto reservations, but Charles was fighting this.

When he wasn’t crippled by the song.

Charles grew ashamed, remembering a new thought. He had asked his daughter to sing to him.

He had asked, hoping it might sound like Helen’s special song, but his beautiful daughter had sung to him in her human voice.  
She too was beautiful, enchanting. But not what he craved. He did not think she possessed that skill. He hoped she would forgive him someday for his deeply disappointed reaction.  
Charles settled his mind, returning to the present. He wanted to do well by Jaida. To give her the love he should have always given her. 

Which was why he was here.

The door finally opened and Alfred Smallwood came out, holding a massive bundle of papers. He looked up.

“Mr. Pownall!? What can I do for you?” he asked politely. 

Most people in town were not so courteous anymore. 

“I would like to talk to you about my Will” Charles responded. Smallwood raised his eyes.

“Alright. Come in”.

Inside his office Alfred put the papers he had been holding down on his messy table. Everywhere Charles looked, piles of paper were stacked. Some neat, some not. The two men sat.  
“I would like to make amendments to the division of my holdings” Charles continued when they were comfortable. “I have come unto some funds and I would like to dedicate them to my daughter Jaida.”  
Smallwood raised his eyebrows even further. He, like most of the old townsfolk, knew. Or suspected.

Charles Tensed.

He secretly dared the smug lawyer to say anything like “Mermaids can’t inherit” or “Shouldn’t that money go to real humans”. His fists balled in preparation.  
Instead, Smallwood sighed.

“Ok, what contributions would you like to give?”

“All my fishing assets,” Charles responded.

Smallwood raised his eyes again. They both knew this was a fair deal of money. Charles had been busy in the years after the disaster, and had built up a small fishing network. He currently had three fishing boats working for him.

“All right Charles” Smallwood nodded. “Let me get the proper documents”

The two men went to work.  
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jaida walked into town, holding the hand of Moon singer. She had come to see her father.

Crossing the streets, she walked by several children who were playing with a ball. None of them gave her more than a glance. Even the children knew her nature. Or had been told of her nature. She tried not to care, but it sometimes hurt. Moon singer squeezed her hand, reading her thoughts.

The two came to the house her father shared with his other family. It was a large building that overlooked the bay, and had two floors. Out front, Charles’ oldest son, Andrew, was playing. He gave her an indifferent stare.

“He’s inside” he said.

Moon singer crouched, rearranging Jaida’s dress.

“Be good. Be patient. I will be back in a couple of hours. After super. Ok?”

Jaida nodded and entered the house.

She loved it here. There was so much colour. All the walls had pictures and hangings, and the whole house smelled of spice, leather, and wood. Porcelain cups and vases sat on ornate drawers. Her father had called it “Georgian Colonial”… 

She peered around the first corner timidly. Elisabeth Pownall was there, doing some chores. 

She looked up.

“Hello child” she said dispassionately. Annoyance at something crosser her face. ”He’s upstairs”.

Jaida knew not to bother Elisabeth. The woman did not like her.

She ran up the steps, using her hands instead of holding onto the railing.

“Daddy” she shrieked as she ran into his study.

Charles Pownall was sitting at his work table. When he saw her, he jumped to his feet, a huge smile lighting up his face. For a moment he was transfixed. A small tear ran down his check.

“Helen?” 

He stiffened, catching himself. 

One of his bad days, Jaida thought. He had many of these now. She worried more often than not that he might lose himself in his own mind. Or worse. Moon singer had said that he had once almost drowned because of the song he was hearing.

It didn’t stop her. She embraced passionately. Her father pressed her back just as strongly.

“Hello dear! I’m so sorry about that.” He blushed.

Wiping his face, he continued.

“And how’s my little girl!” He gathered her onto his lap.

Jaida exploded in excitement. She told him of all her adventures, leaving no detail out. A good quarter of an hour passed before she breathlessly concluded “…and that’s how the killer whale became the Blackfish!”

Charles chuckled quietly.

A more serious expression overcame his face as his eyes glazed. They turned from her and moved into the direction of the bay.

“Daddy?”

He returned to her.

“Sorry dear. I was just thinking… Did I ever tell you how your mother and I met?”

Jaida smiled brightly, trying to hide a little bit of worry. She could tell her father had something he needed to get off his mind. The song was perhaps bothering him again.

“Yes, of course, but tell me anyways! And don’t leave anything out!!”

Charles began his story…. 

Jaida loved to hear him tell stories about his beloved. About Helen. About Mother. She had learned so much about her from these stories. Each time added to a larger picture. For example! Mother had been a Tavern server?? She could throw a rock twice as far as daddy?? She once brought home a shark for supper?!!

WOW!

Charles continued for some time. Finally Mrs. Pownall called that supper was ready and the two walked down together, hand in hand.  
Jaida was so happy. She hugged him before they sat down. He smiled back.

She knew somehow that this would not last forever.  
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Charles walked along the beach, collecting sea shells for his daughter. She loved them. He spied another green one. Walking over he picked it up and cleaned it. He then put it in his pocket.  
He was back out at the beach where Helen’s clothes had been found those many years ago. Where her footprints had last touched land. He still had the ripped clothes, stashed away in a trunk. He had shown them to Jaida once. 

He and Jaida had been here many times. It was here that Charles had told her everything he knew about his Helen. 

His mind soured. He had brought Elisabeth and the boys here too, but they had been less interested. 

Charles sighed. He wanted to love them as well, with all his heart, but it was hard to love when his heart had already been taken. Been broken. He almost thought sometimes that he only had a finite amount of love to give, and that Helen had been such a bright light that he had given it all to her. And Jaida.

He sighed.

Benjamin, his second boy, needed new shoes. He would have to stop by the cobbler and order a new pair. He made a mental note.

Charles suddenly heard the song again. 

Helen?

He tensed and looked around.

Out in the waves he thought he spied a fin. 

Reason abandoned him for a second. He ran to the water’s edge, trying to discern the shape and size of the creature. It looked familiar.

“Helen!” he yelled.

The fin appeared again.

Plunging into the sea, he tried to reach his beloved.  
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

A seagull swept into the air, startled by the human’s yell. It flapped its wings, gaining height. Once it was aloft, it looked back.

The human had jumping into the water, and was now swimming with powerful strokes out to sea.

How strange, the gull thought. 

The human swam and swam. Every so often it raised its head and yelled. It seemed to have lost its sense of direction because it was zig-zagging horribly. Did it know what it was doing?  
The seagull followed the human for several miles, curious. It was far out now, and was struggling to stay afloat. It seemed not to care. After a bit of thrashing it finally disappeared from view.

Thee seagull screamed once, confused at the scene, and then went on its way.  
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jaida looked over the sea from the beach where they had found her father. Where they had found her mother’s clothes. Sadness and nostalgia washed over her.  
She was now twenty-two years old, and had long since moved out of Moon singer’s lodge. Moon singer was old now, and was living just outside Bristol Cove.

Jaida smiled.

One of the local boys named Tléihl Tan, or Five bear, had caught her attention and they were courting. She liked him a lot.

Her mind wandered back to the beach and its significance.

Her poor parents. In school, she had learned so many things about stories. About plays called tragedies. Her parent’s story fit that description perfectly. A perfect love, a happy moment, and then the descent into chaos and a bitter end.

She sighed, clutching her chest. She should write this all down someday.

She was all that remained. 

Jaida Pownall. Jaida of the Sea.

She stood up and began walking towards Bristol cove. She lived there now.

The great settlement of Heudao was fading away, year by year. The government had seen to that; forcing the Haida onto a reserve deeper into the woods. Many of the long houses remained, but they listed and leaned like trees in the forest. The mighty totem poles still stood sentinel over the sea, but theirs was a lonely watch now. 

Most of her friends had not gone to the reserve though, but instead had gone to seek work in Bristol cove. She had helped as she could, just like people said her father had. She had also made new friends there, ones that did not remember, or did not believe, the stories told about her. The mermaid.

The Mermaid that lived. She could turn into one, but at great pain. She doubted that it had been this hard for her mother’s people.

Her mind drifted to her father’s people, the Pownalls. 

She recalled the funeral and the weeks thereafter.

She had been so devastated at the funeral. Her poor father. Finally at rest. She still blamed herself a little for not understanding the nature of the song and the pain it had caused him. She wondered idly if she could have done anything about it. She had been nine after all.

The other Pownalls had not made his passing easy either. Elisabeth and her three children had fought to overturn the Will that her father had made in his last weeks, giving her the rights to the fishing company. They still controlled the money and the growing company, though she suspected the court might eventually relent and give it to her. For now, she was being given a stipend that was enough to make her comfortable. She was after all, a dependant of Charles. She suspected that Elisabeth was stalling the issue so that a statute of limitations would kick in somewhere.

She hissed in frustration.

She would never forget her father. That beautiful man who had given her life.

She intended to honour him by making the most of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you if you have made it this far:) I had a lot of fun writing this.
> 
> How would you have imagined the events of the slaughter and it's aftermath taking place? How much do we talk about what our ancestors did?  
> If you were part mermaid, how would you react to the world around you?
> 
> I hope my humble attempt at describing this makes some sense... In any case, tell me what you think!!!!
> 
> * Edit: Again, I am not certain why, but certain lines are not spacng themselves correctly despite my administrations... Dunno what is up:/

**Author's Note:**

> Well:)
> 
> Hopefully that was something in the ballpark as to what you folks envisioned. This four part story will have to be my last for a while, as summer has come and I have many things underfoot. I intend to come back later!!!
> 
> Tell me what you think of my story? How have you envisoned Charles' discovery of the mermaids?
> 
> * Edit: there are some parts of the story that do not want to space themselves out properly. My apologies.... I don't know why they are not corecting themselves when I repair and resend them...


End file.
